The present invention relates to an apparatus for transporting sheet-like articles, in particular printed products, according to the preamble of patent claim 1.
An apparatus of this type is disclosed in WO-A-99/55609. It has transporting clamps which are each fastened on a conveying element which is guided in a channel and is designed as a carriage. The conveying elements arranged one behind the other are connected in a flexible manner to one another. In order to ensure that the at least two articles retained laterally by a transporting clamp are not also gripped by the next-following transporting clamp, the distance between these transporting clamps is increased.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of the generic type which allows flexibility in the processing of the articles and allows the articles to be received without the distance between the transporting clamps being changed.
This object is achieved by an apparatus which has the features of claim 1.
The apparatus according to the invention allows articles arranged in an imbricated formation to be conveyed and processed in sections. The transporting clamps each retain at least two of the articles of the imbricated formation, each of the articles only being retained by a single transporting clamp. The articles retained by a transporting clamp form a section, which can be displaced laterally on an individual basis in relation to the conveying direction as a result of the displaceability of the transporting clamps in relation to the conveying elements. This frees regions of the adjacent, non-displaced sections as well as regions of the section in question, which allow further transporting elements to act thereon or allow the access of processing stations.
Preferred embodiments of the subject matter of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.